Ms. Le Thi Xuan Lan, from the Hydrometeorology Station of the Southern Region, says that it is abnormal when the flood tide rises high in March. This phenomenon is caused by a cold spell, which makes strong northeast wind and comes coincidentally with high tide.

Weather experts predict that high tide will remain in HCM City in the next few days.

Though it has not rained in recent days, many roads in the city have been flooded by high tide. Some roads are 40cm under water. Flood has caused congestion in many streets.

HCM City authorities have asked districts to closely watch the situation and is ready to deal with incidents.

The city is determined to stop flooding at 10 of 31 spots by the end of the year.

Nguyen Huu Tin, deputy chairman of the People's Committee, said the Steering Centre for Anti-flooding Programme should eliminate the other 21 spots by 2015 and prevent new ones.

The 10 spots are located on An Duong Vuong and Hau Giang streets in District 6, Phan Anh Street in Binh Tan, Lanh Binh Thang Street in District 11, Ung Van Khiem and Vu Tung streets in Binh Thanh, National Highway No. 1A in District 12, Quang Trung Street in Go Vap, Go Dua Street in Thu Duc, and Do Xuan Hop in District 9.

Their elimination would reduce flooding in the city significantly and the resultant losses caused to residents and damage to infrastructure, the centre said.

To stop the flooding in the 10 spots, the centre has submitted to the People's Committee several proposals for draining the water.

For example, to eliminate the flooding in An Duong Vuong Street between Tan Hoa Dong and Ba Hom streets, the centre will build two water drainage systems, one from Ly Chieu Hoang Street to My Thuan Bridge and the other from Ba Hom Street to Mui Tau.

Nguyen Huu Thao, the centre's director, urged the People's Committee to approve the projects and allocate enough funds for these projects so that they can be implemented on schedule.

But he admitted that the task of preventing the reoccurrence of flooding at spots that had been cleared and the mushrooming of new spots was difficult, especially because of encroachment of canals, irrigation works, and drainage systems by residents.

Tin called on relevant departments and agencies to hasten the process of studying, approving, selecting construction sites, and issuing licenses for the anti-flooding works.

He also urged them to put a stop to the filling up of canals for building infrastructure and housing.

The heads of district people's committees had to be held responsible for encroachments of water bodies and dumping of rubbish into canals in their localities, he said.

Last year the city cleared 39 out of 70 flooding spots through several measures, including putting into use more than 200km of sewers and dredging 92 canals and sluices